Level 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the definition of sustainability?

A

Meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the needs of future generations

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2
Q

What are the three pillars of sustainability?

A
  1. Social (“people”)
  2. Economic (“profits”)
  3. Environmental (“planet”)
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3
Q

What are the key legislative drivers of the sustainability movement?

A

Kyoto Protocol
Climate Change Act 2008
Energy Act 2011
Building Regs Part L - Conservation of Fuel and Power

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4
Q

How does the issue of sustainability impact surveyors?

A

Importance of understanding how the built environment impacts the natural environment. In order to change and protect the environment, we must understand what impacts it. Must understand the energy use in client’s buildings & the associated regulations to combat climate change.

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5
Q

How is the RICS addressing issues of sustainability?

A

RICS are fostering the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their Agenda 2030 through

  • development and adoption of standards
  • research
  • capacity building projects,
  • community action
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6
Q

What does EPC stand for?

A

Energy Performance Certificate

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7
Q

What are EPCs?

A

They measure the energy efficiency of most domestic and non-domestic buildings, categorising this into a grade

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8
Q

When are EPCs required?

A

Required for commercial buildings over 50sqm

  • newly built, sold or let for a term of between 6 months to 99 years
  • newly refurbished where heating/aircon/ventilation services are altered, and/or the building is subject to building regs for construction
  • subletting/assignment of lease

(sale/lease of resi buildings & refurb schemes included)

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9
Q

Which buildings are exempted from requiring an EPC?

A
  • (some) listed buildings
  • places of worship
  • temporary buildings
  • v. low energy efficient buildings/buildings with no heating (e.g. ind. warehouses)
  • buildings due to be demolished/redeveloped
  • resi buildings not occupied for more than 4m per year
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10
Q

How long do EPCs last?

A

10 years (unless significant changes have been made to the property, then a new EPC is required)

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11
Q

What are the EPC requirements for marketing?

A
  • EPC must be instructed prior to marketing (within 7 days of beginning marketing) (28 day limit for procurement)
  • agents responsible for procuring EPCs
  • Since Jan-13 the energy rating should be displayed within the property and on marketing particulars (where space allows, the graph should be included)
  • -> Marketing particulars must have a link to the EPC to show the front page
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12
Q

What does the front page of an EPC show?

A
  • Address of property & floor area
  • EPC reference number
  • Performance rating (A-G)
  • Benchmarking info
  • Technical info on property’s energy provision
  • Estimation of running costs
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13
Q

How can you provide recommendations for improvements to a property’s energy efficiency?

A

On the national online register, each EPC comes with an EPC Recommendation Report which gives short, medium and long term recommendations for improvements

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14
Q

What are the penalties for not commissioning an EPC?

A

Local Authorities’ Trading Standards teams enforce the regulations
[commercial]
max. 12.5% of RV
+ a fine (min. £500, max. £5,000)

[residential]
£200 fixed penalty for non-display of EPC info on marketing particulars

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15
Q

Who polices any breaches of non compliance with EPCs?

A

Local Authorities’ Trading Standards department

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16
Q

What does MEES stand for?

A

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

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17
Q

What are MEES?

A

Under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Sector) (England & Wales) Regulations 2015, a minimum EPC rating of E is required from 1st April 2018 in order to let a building.

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18
Q

What are the key changes under MEES 2018?

A

1st April 2018 - for new lettings, renewals or lease extensions (comm + resi)
1st April 2020 - continuation of existing tenancies (resi)
1st April 2023 - continuation of existing tenancies (comm)

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19
Q

Which sectors does MEES affect?

A

Property management & valuation for commercial and residential properties

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20
Q

Why was MEES brought about?

A

Buildings are one of the largest emitters of carbon

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21
Q

How are valuers impacted by MEES 2018?

A

Valuers should assess the level of risk posed by MEES and consider how rent, yield, value and growth are affected

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22
Q

What must be done if a property has an EPC rating of F or G?

A

Landlord must undertake all qualifying improvements to bring the EPC rating up to a minimum of E, before they can let their property

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23
Q

What is a qualifying improvement?

A

LL obligation

24
Q

What are the exemptions to MEES?

A

Improvements must be made to the energy efficiency of a building, limited to measures that are:

  1. PERMISSIBLE - consent is not given for alterations
  2. APPROPRIATE - if it would reduce the value of the property by more than 5%
  3. COST EFFECTIVE - where it is not feasible even when all possible improvements with a payback of 7 years or sooner have been made
25
Q

What is the 7-year rule?

A

Where the cost to install an energy efficiency improvement measure, is more than the savings made on energy bills over the 7 period from the date of installation of the measure(s).

26
Q

Who does the 7 year payback test apply to?

A

non-domestic properties only

27
Q

In order to gain exemption for MEES under the 7-year payback test, what must Landlords be able to demonstrate?

A
  • 3 quotes for the cost of purchasing and installing the measure from different qualified installers
  • confirmation that LL is satisfied it does not meet the 7-year payback requirements (copy of calculations)
28
Q

How long does the 7-year payback test exemption last?

A

5 years. After this, LL must try again to improve the energy efficiency. Where this fails again, another exemption must be registered.

29
Q

What is the requirement for qualifying improvements made by residential Landlords?

A

Spend up to £3,500 to improve the energy efficiency. Where the full £3,500 is spent but LL is unable to bring the property up to an E, LL is eligible to register for exemption.

30
Q

What are the penalties for non-compliance with MEES?

A

[Commercial]
Breach lasting <3m - (greater of) up to £5,000 or 10% of RV (max. penalty: £50k)
Breach lasting 3+m - (greater of) up to £10,000 or 20% of RV (max. penalty: £150k)

31
Q

What is the Climate Change Act 2008?

A

The Government set a legally binding commitment to cut the UK’s CO2 emissions by 100% on 1990 levels by 2050.
Every 5 years a ‘Carbon Budget’ is established which sets targets & increasingly stringent regulations.

32
Q

What is the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU)?

A

EU legislation compelling member states to ensure buildings are subject to energy labelling and energy use reduction.

33
Q

How has the UK implemented the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU)?

A

UK Gov amended energy requirements of Building Regulations to introduce Energy Performance of Building Regulations

34
Q

What are they key provisions of the Energy Performance of Building Regulations regime?

A
  1. Higher standards of energy conservation for new & refurbished buildings
  2. Establish calc. methodology for energy performance of all buildings
  3. Min. requirements for energy performance of all buildings
  4. Energy certification for all buildings when leased/sold
  5. Mandatory inspection of boilers & aircon systems in buildings
35
Q

What does BREEAM stand for?

A

The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method

36
Q

What is BREEAM?

A

A voluntary environmental assessment tool to rate new and refurbished commercial & residential buildings

37
Q

What is a BREEAM assessment rating based on?

A
  1. Energy consumption
  2. Health & well-being
  3. Innovation
  4. Land use
  5. Transport links
  6. Waste management
  7. Pollution
  8. Sustainable water use
  9. Sustainable management of construction, operational, repairs and maintenance (recycle & avoid landfill)
38
Q

What are the different BREEAM ratings?

A
  1. Acceptable
  2. Pass
  3. Good
  4. V. Good
  5. Excellent
  6. Outstanding
39
Q

What are some other environmental/energy efficiency assessment ratings?

A
  • LEED (Leadership in Energy and Design - USA)
  • DGNB (Germany)
  • HQE (France)
  • NABERS (Australia)
40
Q

What other key sustainability regulations exist?

A
  • Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)
  • Heat Network (Billing & Metering) Regulations 2014
  • CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
  • Climate Change Levy (CCL)
  • Display Energy Certificates (DEC)
41
Q

What is the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)?

A

An energy assessment scheme mandatory for large UK organisations required to:

  • measure total energy consumption across buildings, transport & industrial activities
  • conduct energy audits (identify cost-effective, energy efficiency recommendations)
  • report compliance to Environment Agency
42
Q

Who does ESOS apply to?

A

Mandatory for large UK organisations with:
250+ employees
Annual T/O £50m+
Annual balance sheet total of £43m

43
Q

What are the Heat Network (Billing & Metering) Regulations?

A

Provision of communal heating systems in multi-let com & resi schemes, and to district heating systems
End users must be provided with an accurate meter reading/bill info. and competitively-priced individual meters

44
Q

What is the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme?

A

known as ‘Carbon Reduction Commitment’ Scheme -has now been scrapped following Gov’s Business Energy Taxation Review

45
Q

What is the Climate Change Levy (CCL) 2019?

A

A tax on energy delivered to non-domestic users in the UK.

46
Q

What is the aim of the Climate Change Levy?

A

To provide an incentive to increase energy efficiency within businesses & reduce carbon emissions.

47
Q

How does the Climate Change Levy work?

A

Consumers are charged by their energy providers who forward the c. £19bn p.a. to the UK Treasury

48
Q

Are there any exemptions to the Climate Change Levy?

A

Energy generated from renewable sources are exempt from this tax

49
Q

When did the Climate Change Levy come into effect?

A

In 2001, but the rates were increased in April 2019

50
Q

Who does the Climate Change Levy apply to?

A

commercial businesses except;

  • those that use small amounts of energy
  • charities engaged in non-commercial activities
51
Q

What are Display Energy Certificates?

A

DECs are required for public buildings over 250sqm - must display the actual energy used and carbon dioxide emissions

52
Q

What does the UK’s ‘Net Zero’ target relate to?

A

As per the Climate Change Act 2008, a target was set for at least a 100% reduction of UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels), replacing the previous target of an 80% reduction. If met, this means the UK ends its contribution to global emissions by 2050.

53
Q

When was the Net Zero target announced?

A

June 2019 - UK became the first major world economy to pass laws ending its contribution to global warming by 2050.

54
Q

What is the UK doing to achieve its Net Zero target?

A

The UK GBC (Green Building Council) has a framework to address the issue:

  1. Establish Net Zero Carbon Scope (Across entire RE lifecycle)
  2. Reduce Construction Impacts
  3. Reduce Operational Energy Use
  4. Increase Renewable Energy Supply
  5. Offset Any Remaining Carbon
55
Q

What is placemaking?

A

A multi-faceted approach to planning, design and management of public spaces, creating public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness and well-being

56
Q

What is the WELL Building Standard?

A

A standard used to rate buildings in respect of optimising health & mental well-being of occupiers
(CBRE’s redevelopment of HQ aims to achieve WELL Platinum status)

57
Q

What is the RICS doing to promote sustainability in the built environment?

A

RICS SKA Rating Scheme provides an environmental assessment tool to help LL/T assess fit-out against a set of sustainability good practice criteria.
Awards: Gold, Silver, Bronze